Curated News: JAMA

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17-Jul-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Antibiotic Use and Decrease in INR Levels Among Patients Taking Vitamin K Antagonists
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Researchers have found an association between treatment with the antibiotic dicloxacillin and a decrease in international normalized ratio (INR; a measure of blood coagulation) levels among patients taking the vitamin K antagonists warfarin or phenprocoumon, according to a study in the July 21 issue of JAMA.

15-Jul-2015 1:05 PM EDT
Increased Radiation Dose Offers No Survival Benefit for Patients with Low-Risk Prostate Cancer
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania

Increased radiation dose is associated with higher survival rates in men with medium- and high-risk prostate cancer, but not men with low-risk prostate cancer, according to a new study from Penn Medicine published this week in JAMA Oncology.

13-Jul-2015 11:30 AM EDT
Study Links Success in Adulthood to Childhood Psychiatric Health
Duke Health

Children with even mild or passing bouts of depression, anxiety and/or behavioral issues were more inclined to have serious problems that complicated their ability to lead successful lives as adults, according to research from Duke Medicine.

9-Jul-2015 3:15 PM EDT
Investigational Drug Prevents Life-Threatening Side Effects of Kidney Disease Treatment
University of Chicago Medical Center

The investigational drug patiromer quickly reduced elevated blood-potassium levels—a common life-threatening side effect of treatment for chronic diabetic kidney disease. In this year-long study of more than 300 patients, patiromer kept potassium levels under control for the length of the trial.

9-Jul-2015 6:05 PM EDT
Studies Examine Cost-Effectiveness of Newer Cholesterol Guidelines and Accuracy in Identifying CVD Risk
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An examination of the 2013 guidelines for determining statin eligibility, compared to guidelines from 2004, indicates that they are associated with greater accuracy and efficiency in identifying increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) events and presence of subclinical coronary artery disease, particularly in individuals at intermediate risk, according to a study in the July 14 issue of JAMA.

9-Jul-2015 6:05 PM EDT
Drug Provides Improvement for Diabetic Kidney Disease Patients with High Potassium Levels
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among patients with diabetic kidney disease and hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels in the blood), a potentially life-threatening condition, those who received the new drug patiromer, twice daily for four weeks, had significant decreases in potassium levels which lasted through one year, according to a study in the July 14 issue of JAMA.

9-Jul-2015 6:05 PM EDT
Few States Require HPV Vaccine
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An examination of state vaccination requirements for adolescents finds that the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is currently required in only two states, many fewer than another vaccine associated with sexual transmission (hepatitis B) and another primarily recommended for adolescents (meningococcal conjugate), according to a study in the July 14 issue of JAMA.

Released: 13-Jul-2015 11:05 AM EDT
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Works for Insomnia with Psychiatric, Medical Conditions
RUSH

Cognitive behavioral therapy is a widely used nonpharmacologic treatment for insomnia disorders and an analysis of the medical literature by sleep researchers at Rush University Medical Center suggests it also can work for patients whose insomnia is coupled with psychiatric and medical conditions, according to an article published online by JAMA Internal Medicine.

Released: 9-Jul-2015 8:05 AM EDT
Risk Factors for Army Suicide Attempts in Iraq, Afghanistan Identified
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USU)

Risk factors for regular Army suicide attempts by enlisted soldiers and officers in Iraq and Afghanistan have been identified, and socio-demographic factors, length of service, deployment history, and the presence and recency of a mental health diagnosis are among the primary predictors, according to a study published July 8 in JAMA Psychiatry. Enlisted Army service members in their second month of service were at greatest risk for attempting suicide.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Life Expectancy Substantially Lower With Combination of Diabetes, Stroke, or Heart Attack
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In an analysis that included nearly 1.2 million participants and more than 135,000 deaths, mortality associated with a history of diabetes, stroke, or heart attack was similar for each condition, and the risk of death increased substantially with each additional condition a patient had, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Stroke Associated With Both Immediate and Long-Term Decline in Cognitive Function
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In a study that included nearly 24,000 participants, those who experienced a stroke had an acute decline in cognitive function and also accelerated and persistent cognitive decline over 6 years, according to an article in the July 7 issue of JAMA.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Life Expectancy Substantially Lower With Combination of Diabetes, Stroke, or Heart Attack
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In an analysis that included nearly 1.2 million participants and more than 135,000 deaths, mortality associated with a history of diabetes, stroke, or heart attack was similar for each condition, and the risk of death increased substantially with each additional condition a patient had, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Association Between Genetic Condition, Hormonal Factors, and Risk of Endometrial Cancer
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

For women with Lynch syndrome, an association was found between the risk of endometrial cancer and the age of first menstrual cycle, having given birth, and hormonal contraceptive use, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA. Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that increases the risk for various cancers.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Findings Suggest Improvement in Management of Localized Prostate Cancer
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

After years of overtreatment for patients with low-risk prostate cancer, rates of active surveillance/ watchful waiting increased sharply in 2010 through 2013, and high-risk disease was more often treated appropriately with potentially curative local treatment rather than androgen deprivation alone, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA.

2-Jul-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Association Between Genetic Condition, Hormonal Factors, and Risk of Endometrial Cancer
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

For women with Lynch syndrome, an association was found between the risk of endometrial cancer and the age of first menstrual cycle, having given birth, and hormonal contraceptive use, according to a study in the July 7 issue of JAMA. Lynch syndrome is a genetic condition that increases the risk for various cancers.

7-Jul-2015 9:00 AM EDT
Memory & Thinking Ability Keep Getting Worse for Years After a Stroke, New Study Finds
Michigan Medicine - University of Michigan

A stroke happens in an instant. And many who survive one report that their brain never works like it once did. But new research shows that these problems with memory and thinking ability keep getting worse for years afterward – and happen faster than normal brain aging.

3-Jul-2015 9:00 AM EDT
Midlife Changes in Alzheimer’s Biomarkers May Predict Dementia
Washington University in St. Louis

Studying brain scans and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy adults, scientists have shown that changes in key biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease during midlife may help identify those who will develop dementia years later, according to new research.

1-Jul-2015 9:05 AM EDT
Body Mass Index Impacts Ovarian Cancer Chemotherapy Dosages
Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey

Ovarian cancer patients who are overweight or obese are often given less chemotherapy per pound of body weight in order to reduce the toxic side effects associated with higher doses, and this in turn may lower their chances of survival, according to a study by researchers at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.

30-Jun-2015 11:00 AM EDT
Trends in Antipsychotic Medication Use in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults
Columbia University Irving Medical Center

Despite concerns that use of antipsychotic medications in treating young people has increased, use actually declined between 2006 and 2010 for children ages 12 and under, and increased for adolescents and young adults.

Released: 29-Jun-2015 12:05 PM EDT
Specialized Therapy – Taught by Lay Persons – Can Aid Vulnerable, Traumatized Children in Developing Nations
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

A specific type of talk therapy dispensed in the developing world to orphans and other vulnerable children who experienced trauma such as sexual and domestic abuse showed dramatic results, despite being administered by workers with little education, new research shows.

23-Jun-2015 11:00 AM EDT
Geography Is Destiny in Deaths from Kidney Failure, Study Shows
Johns Hopkins Medicine

The notion that geography often shapes economic and political destiny has long informed the work of economists and political scholars. Now a study led by medical scientists at Johns Hopkins reveals how geography also appears to affect the very survival of people with end-stage kidney disease in need of dialysis.

16-Jun-2015 10:05 AM EDT
Viagra Does Something Very Important —but It Is Unlikely to Cause Melanoma, Researchers Conclude
NYU Langone Health

A rigorous analysis of more than 20,000 medical records concludes that erectile dysfunction drugs, such as Viagra, are not a cause of melanoma, an often deadly form of skin cancer, despite the higher risk for the disease among users of these drugs.

18-Jun-2015 1:00 PM EDT
Fewer Than 1 in 10 Older Heart Patients Get Life-Saving Defibrillators
Duke Health

Heart attack patients age 65 and older who have reduced heart function might still benefit from implanted defibrillators, according to a Duke Medicine study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association. But fewer than 1 in 10 eligible patients actually get a defibrillator within a year of their heart attacks, the study found.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Benefit of Early Screening for Vascular Disorder Among Extremely Preterm Infants
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among extremely preterm infants, early screening for the vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus before day 3 of life was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death and pulmonary hemorrhage, but not with differences in other severe complications, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Mixed Findings Regarding Quality of Evidence Supporting Benefit of Medical Marijuana
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In an analysis of the findings of nearly 80 randomized trials that included about 6,500 participants, there was moderate-quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids (chemical compounds that are the active principles in cannabis or marijuana) for the treatment of chronic pain and lower-quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, sleep disorders, and Tourette syndrome, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators Underused Among Older Patients After Heart Attack
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among Medicare patients who experienced a heart attack from 2007 to 2010, fewer than 1 in 10 eligible patients with low ejection fraction (a measure of how well the left ventricle of the heart pumps blood with each beat) received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) within 1 year after the heart attack, even though ICD implantation was associated with a lower risk of death at 2 years after implantation, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Drug Used in ED Medications Associated With Small Increased Risk of Malignant Melanoma
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among men in Sweden, use of erectile dysfunctions drugs with phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors was associated with a modest but significant increased risk of malignant melanoma, although the pattern of association raises questions about whether this association is causal, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Benefit of Early Screening for Vascular Disorder Among Extremely Preterm Infants
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among extremely preterm infants, early screening for the vascular disorder patent ductus arteriosus before day 3 of life was associated with a lower risk of in-hospital death and pulmonary hemorrhage, but not with differences in other severe complications, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Mixed Findings Regarding Quality of Evidence Supporting Benefit of Medical Marijuana
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In an analysis of the findings of nearly 80 randomized trials that included about 6,500 participants, there was moderate-quality evidence to support the use of cannabinoids (chemical compounds that are the active principles in cannabis or marijuana) for the treatment of chronic pain and lower-quality evidence suggesting that cannabinoids were associated with improvements in nausea and vomiting due to chemotherapy, sleep disorders, and Tourette syndrome, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Study Finds Inaccuracy in Dosing of Edible Medical Marijuana Products
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An analysis of edible medical marijuana products from 3 major metropolitan areas found that many had lower amounts of key substances than labeled, which may not produce the desired medical benefit, while others contained significantly more of a certain substance than labeled, placing patients at risk of experiencing adverse effects, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

18-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Study Finds Inaccuracy in Dosing of Edible Medical Marijuana Products
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An analysis of edible medical marijuana products from 3 major metropolitan areas found that many had lower amounts of key substances than labeled, which may not produce the desired medical benefit, while others contained significantly more of a certain substance than labeled, placing patients at risk of experiencing adverse effects, according to a study in the June 23/30 issue of JAMA.

Released: 22-Jun-2015 6:05 PM EDT
Obesity, Excess Weight in U.S. Continue Upswing
Washington University in St. Louis

Obesity and excess weight, and their negative impact on health, have become a significant focus for physicians and other health-care experts in recent years. But new research at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis shows that an escalation in the number of those considered obese or overweight in the United States continues, signaling an ongoing upward swing in chronic health conditions as well.

Released: 22-Jun-2015 3:05 PM EDT
Weight-Loss Surgery May Greatly Improve Incontinence
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

For severely obese people, bariatric surgery may have a benefit besides dramatic weight loss: it can also substantially reduce urinary incontinence.

18-Jun-2015 1:00 PM EDT
Current Monitoring of Pacemakers, Defibrillators May Underestimate Device Problems
University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)

The current monitoring of patients with cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) such as pacemakers and defibrillators may be underestimating device problems, according to UC San Francisco researchers who propose systematic methods to determine accurate causes of sudden death in those with CIEDs as well as improved monitoring for device concerns.

16-Jun-2015 1:45 PM EDT
Cosmetic Lip Surgery May Ease Facial Paralysis, Small Study Suggests
Johns Hopkins Medicine

A cosmetic surgery that uses injections of hyaluronic acid to make lips appear fuller could also improve the lives of people with facial paralysis, according to results of a small study by researchers at Johns Hopkins and Stanford universities.

Released: 17-Jun-2015 11:00 AM EDT
Breast-Conserving Therapy for Early-Stage Cancers Has Increased Substantially, Though Access Remains an Issue
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

The first comprehensive national review of breast-conserving therapy (BCT) shows that over the last 13 years rates of this treatment modality for early-stage breast cancer have increased at a steady pace. However, the review also highlights important demographic factors that impact which patients have access to BCT.

11-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Trial Compares Antibiotics vs Appendectomy for Treatment of Appendicitis
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among patients with uncomplicated appendicitis, antibiotic treatment did not meet a prespecified level of effectiveness compared with appendectomy, although most patients who received antibiotic therapy did not require an appendectomy, and for those who did, they did not experience significant complications, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.

11-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Study Shows Benefit of Higher Quality Screening Colonoscopies
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An analysis that included information from more than 57,000 screening colonoscopies suggests that higher adenoma detection rates may be associated with up to 50 percent to 60 percent lower lifetime colorectal cancer incidence and death without higher overall costs, despite a higher number of colonoscopies and potential complications, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.

11-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Development Assistance for Health Has Increased Since 1990 for Low-Income Countries
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Funding for health in developing countries has increased substantially since 1990, with a focus on HIV/AIDS, maternal health, and newborn and child health, and limited funding for noncommunicable diseases, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.

11-Jun-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Extremely Preterm Infants Enrolled in RCTs Do Not Experience Worse Outcomes
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

In a group of more than 5,000 extremely preterm infants, important in-hospital outcomes were neither better nor worse in infants enrolled in randomized clinical trials (RCTs) compared with eligible but nonenrolled infants, findings that may provide reassurance regarding concerns about performing RCTs in this vulnerable population, according to a study in the June 16 issue of JAMA.

Released: 11-Jun-2015 2:25 PM EDT
Medicare Records Study Affirms Link Between Disjointed Care and Unnecessary Medical Procedures
Johns Hopkins Medicine

A "look back" study of Medicare fee-for-service claims for more than 1.2 million patients over age 65 has directly affirmed and quantified a long-suspected link between lower rates of coordinated health care services and higher rates of unnecessary medical tests and procedures.

11-Jun-2015 11:00 AM EDT
ADAMTS Family of Genes May Be the Next ‘Thing’ in Ovarian Cancer Treatment
University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

There is the Addams Family. And then there is the ADAMTS family. While one is mindless entertainment, the latter may prove to be a new genetic avenue for designing ovarian cancer treatment.

Released: 9-Jun-2015 2:05 PM EDT
Youth on the Autism Spectrum Who Are Overly Sensitive to Sensory Stimuli Have Brains That React Differently Than Youth Who Are Not as Affected by Such Stimuli
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), Health Sciences

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, a team of UCLA researchers has shown for the first time that children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) who are overly sensitive to sensory stimuli have brains that react differently than those with the disorder who don’t respond so severely to noises, visual stimulation and physical contact.

4-Jun-2015 5:05 PM EDT
Overall Rate of Traumatic Spinal Cord Injury Remains Stable in U.S.
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Between 1993 and 2012, the incidence rate of acute traumatic spinal cord injury remained relatively stable in the U.S., although there was an increase among older adults, mostly associated with an increase in falls, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

4-Jun-2015 5:05 PM EDT
Control System Shows Potential for Improving Function of Powered Prosthetic Leg
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

A control system that incorporated electrical signals generated during muscle contractions and gait information resulted in improved real-time control of a powered prosthetic leg for different modes of walking (such as on level ground or descending stairs), according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

4-Jun-2015 5:05 PM EDT
MCAT Predicts Differently for Students Who Test with Extra Time
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Among applicants to U.S. medical schools, those with disabilities who obtained extra test administration time for the Medical College Admission Test in use from 1991 to January 2015 had no significant difference in rate of medical school admission but had lower rates of passing the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step examinations and of medical school graduation, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA, a theme issue on the Americans with Disabilities Act.

4-Jun-2015 5:05 PM EDT
Examination of Gastroenteritis Hospitalization Rates Following Use of Rotavirus Vaccine
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

Following implementation of rotavirus vaccination in 2006, all-cause acute gastroenteritis hospitalization rates among U.S. children younger than 5 years of age declined by 31 percent - 55 percent in each of the post-vaccine years from 2008 through 2012, according to a study in the June 9 issue of JAMA.

Released: 8-Jun-2015 4:25 PM EDT
Chemo Instead of Hormone Therapy May Be Preferred Option for Some with Advanced Prostate Cancer
Johns Hopkins Medicine

In a small clinical trial, scientists at Johns Hopkins’ Kimmel Cancer Center and James Buchanan Brady Urological Institute found that men with advanced prostate cancer and detection of androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) respond to chemotherapy just as well as men who lack the variant.

4-Jun-2015 12:05 PM EDT
Certain Preoperative Tests Still Common in U.S. Despite Low Value and High Costs
NYU Langone Health

Professional physician associations consider certain routine tests before elective surgery to be of low value and high cost, and have sought to discourage their utilization. Nonetheless, a new national study by researchers at NYU Langone Medical Center finds that despite these peer-reviewed recommendations, no significant changes have occurred over a 14-year period in the rates of several kinds of these pre-operative tests.

28-May-2015 4:05 PM EDT
Examination of Antidepressant Use in Late Pregnancy and Newborn Respiratory Disorder
JAMA - Journal of the American Medical Association

An analysis of approximately 3.8 million pregnancies finds that use of antidepressants late in pregnancy may be associated with an increased risk of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), according to a study in the June 2 issue of JAMA. However, the absolute risk was small and the risk increase appears more modest than suggested in previous studies. PPHN is a rare but life-threatening condition that occurs when a newborn's circulation system doesn't adapt to breathing outside the womb.



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